Two or more

I realize I don’t know many of my readers face to face but my hope is that by now you have had a chance to see into my heart through the words that I write week to week. So in the spirit of bearing my soul with my new found friends I would like to admit to you all that many times I have trouble keeping my focus on most important things, the people in life. If we did not have each other we would have nothing at all. It’s the people God sprinkles around us that not only give us a reason to live but they add color and spice to an otherwise bland life of loneliness.  

I recently returned from a trip to a remote island paradise where I was treated to some local story telling and dance that conveyed a very colorful cultural history of the native people. In many remote cultures around the world there is usually a story of creation where a Devine Creator creates and guides His new creation to a land where they can grow and prosper. Even in my own life I found God at Scott Memorial Church East through Tim Lahaye’s Sunday preaching. Now years later I acknowledge the fact that there is a God and find peace as I closely study this Devine Creator through the eyes of Israelite kings, prophets and historians. My conclusion is that God gave the world His One and only Son to atone for a world lost in sin.  

You see many cultures around the world have stories about where the local people attempt to cover their wrong doings by killing and shedding the blood from an animal or in some cases even human sacrifice. There seems to be a universal need of people around the globe in every village, town and city to belong to a community. There also is a need to find fulfillment in life by believing in a loving God and the idea of eternal life with their Omnipotent Creator.  

In the New Testament book of Matthew 18 Jesus is teaching us about love as a shepherd leaves a herd of ninety-nine sheep in search of that one lost little lamb. Salvation as taught by Jesus is a black and white issue with no room for gray areas. Either you are in or you are out. Jesus draws a line in the sand, like a last stand at the Alamo, and invites everyone to join Him on one side. Never using force, manipulating or threatening us but always in a loving, tender voice He invites us to come. Come and sup with Him in fellowship as was always the plan. 

Just as Jesus called each one of His disciples he also calls each one of us to a relationship with Him. And anytime we enter into a relationship with someone there will be both good and bad times, misunderstandings and situations that require forgiveness. This is true even in a relationship with God. It is also true in communities of believers where from time to time order needs to be restored through discipline. In Matthew 18:20 Jesus states this “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there, in the midst of them.”  

This verse while in its context is dealing with church discipline is one verse that we should meditate on daily. The blatant truth of this verse is just as plain as the nose on your face. We can’t avoid relationships with others because we want to avoid the hurt feelings, pain and forgiveness that always is part of belonging to a community of believers. It is extremely comforting to me to see from this verse that God is encouraging us to commune together, to gather together in fellowship with one another and that any relationship requires more than one person’s involvement.  

You see, like many of you, I have also been hurt by other people in church and had my share of hurting other people by disregarding either their feelings or convictions. Then by not wanting conflict or confrontation I usually withdraw from church and away from fellowship. My spiritual life begins cooling off like an ember which has been shot out of the fire’s coals to die a slow heat death all alone by myself.  

Jesus is saying so much more in Matthew 18:20 then the strength of two or three witnesses in confronting a habitually sinning brother. Rather Jesus is telling us that our real strength lies in community, grouped up together with all of our eyes focused on Him. Watching each other’s backs and not driving sharp objects into them. We all need to practice what we so desperately want others to see in our lives…the love of Christ!